Aftermath
by IceWrecker
Summary: For every success, there is always a price to pay, and Vanellope learns this the hard way. (Tragic what-if one-shot, does not have any connection with Unlocked.)


**A/N: This is based off an idea found on Tumblr, a sad what-if one-shot of Wreck-it Ralph. I'll reveal what the idea is at the end of the story, just not to spoil anything.**

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Grunting hard, Vanellope drags a heavy pack off her shoulder and tosses it into her kart. The little racer starts to hop into the kart herself, when she catches sight of the signatures on the side of it: _Made by Vanellope and Ralph_. She gently moves a hand over the word _Ralph_ , fingering each of the large, untidy letters. Then she leaps into her kart and drives away from her castle.

Just 3 weeks ago, the citizens of _Sugar Rush_ celebrated the end of King Candy/Turbo's reign, and happily crowned Vanellope as their true leader. Finally, for the first time in forever, Vanellope got the chance to be chosen as an avatar, as a playable character, and can be able to race along the others in gameplay. Life is as good as it gets.

Or so it seems…

Because for every success, there is always a price to pay, and this story is no exception. A price so few people know, but once known would be impossible to wipe from anyone's mind.

She drives the kart along a road littered with chocolate boulders and lined with candy-cane trees, before suddenly turning off-road to the right. Vanellope jolts left and right, her kart bumping along the rocky terrain.

Finally, she slams on the brakes and brings the kart to a stop, and taking the heavy pack with her, gets out. Before her, a large section of the ground is craved in, creating a huge valley completely filled with blue grass—a sight only found in Sugar Rush. And in the middle of the valley, Vanellope sees what she is looking for.

" _Ralph."_ Vanellope slides down the side of the valley, dragging the pack behind her.

"Hey, Ralph; did you miss me?" She asks cheerily as she walks to the centre of the grassland, the waist-high blue grass tickling her sides.

Not waiting for her friend to reply, Vanellope immediately starts speaking again. "Don't give me that look, Stinkbrain; I knew you missed me. Much."

She starts to rummage through her pack, pulling out a few pink lollipops, a few multi-colored gumdrops, some chocolate drops, and many more types of candy.

"Hey, do you see all of this? All the other racers, Taffyta, Rancis and all the rest, they really thought that I would execute them for all the _inappropriate behavior_ on all those years before. Ha ha! They all fell for it, every single one of them. Yeah, and they're happy when I told them I was only kidding, and they quickly accepted me as ruler. Of course, they are not really certain that I won't go and execute them, so they kept bringing me candy, for every single day now! Want some?" She holds out a few pieces, an eager expression on her face.

"Nope? Okay. More for me then." Vanellope pops a gumdrop into her mouth and puts the rest of the candy back into her pack. "You know, I can really use some help with the candy, Ralph; I now have _an entire room_ just for the candy, in stacks piled up the ceiling, how can I ever finish them?" She laughs at the sheer thought.

"Anyways, I've heard from Felix that you'd lost my medal. Well, never fear! I made a new one!" Vanellope takes the medal out of her pack and holds it up. Like the previous one, the medal is heart-shaped and tied with a pink ribbon, complete with the loopy cursive writing. But what is different from the old medal is that this one is significantly larger, the name _Ralph_ replacing the word _Stinkbrain_ , and instead of the sentence _'you're my hero'_ , it is now _'you're_ _ **still**_ _my_ _ **only**_ _hero'_.

"Do you like it?" Vanellope asks, hopping excitedly from one foot to the other. "Do you like it Ralph?"

When her friend does not answer, she says "yeah, I think you like it, although you didn't say. Here, let me help you put it on." She drapes the medal over the object in front of her.

"Hey, hey! Looks good on you, better even!"

"Oh, and speaking of Felix, Calhoun is now trying to teach him how to use a gun. Yeah, I know, I know, it is pure comedy to watch. I mean, he always fumbles with it, and somehow always manages to shoot down zero cy-bugs and at least three soldiers! Can't you believe it? He's so bad. I can't imagine what will happen if he really gets called out for gameplay. At least now they get to spend more time together, I can't wait for their wedding." She laughs.

"Those pint-sized people, oh sorry, _Nicelanders_ ; they're now getting along well. Even that jerk Gene, he's somewhat nicer than before. I just saw him last week, helping to give out pies to the homeless characters in Game Central Station. He's smiling, and that really makes him better-looking; though he wasn't that good-looking to start out with…if you know what I mean."

"Oh, and I even went to that support group of yours. What was it called again? Oh yes; _Bad-anon_. Man, I always forgot that. Funny guys, they are, if you look past their intimidating appearances. Zangief, Clyde, Bowser; real funny guys, their jokes made me laugh so hard. Oh, and they miss you. Everybody misses you…"

At this particular moment, Vanellope's giggles start to turn into sniffles, then further into sobs. Before long, she is lying face down on the blue grassland, her arms wrapped around her body, tears streaming down her face.

For like the others, she misses Ralph too, and the sadness that comes with it is so great, no amount of happiness can ever replace it. For while others just see Ralph as a random Bad Guy, she sees him as someone else; someone heroic, someone kind, someone who truly deserves to live…

"I'm sorry, Ralph..." She chokes out.

"It's my fault that you couldn't be saved in time."

She wraps her arms around the sugar-coated gravestone and cries.

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 **A/N: Okay, so here is the idea. It is originally a Frozen comic, with the first few frames of Anna talking to Elsa, like asking if she wants chocolates, ending with Anna sobbing in front of Elsa's grave. Well, film plot-wise, it would be more convincing if it was Elsa sobbing in front of Anna's grave, since Anna was the one performing the self-sacrifice in the movie. While thinking about this, I am reminded of another, more heart-wrenching self sacrifice, and then this idea hit me. As much as I don't want to kill off the wrecker, I want to use this story as a message that for each and every success, there is always someone who did unbelievable sacrifices, just to make sure the majority would be able to enjoy the taste of victory; and that we should never forget their efforts even in our bliss.**

 **And, yes. My later works would probably be more positive, and that Unlocked is now progressing smoothly. Go check that out if you have time. Feel free to go and say what you think about this in the reviews, but till my next chapter/story, that's all from me for now!**


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